♻ 005 | audio

[tucky]

Okay, I got a question - why's there so many kids here? You can't turn a corner without running into an imPort kid.

[This... may be a slight exaggeration. It almost does feel that way to Tiffany, though; she came through the Porter from a totally kid-less environment. She'd seen child visitors to the prison in passing, but hadn't interacted with one in years until coming here - and that's not even touching on her own vague Kid Issues, which are currently heightened after her conversation with Jesse about her past.]

I mean, it just seems kinda cruel, you know? Porting in a bunch of kids without anyone to look after 'em. I mean, unless the people here are meant to look after 'em, but come on. How many of us are the type? And I know I would've missed my mama something fierce if I was taken to a whole new world when I was little; some weird fucking stranger wouldn't've cut it.

... Hell, I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong; I could be wrong. Never really knew what to do with kids myself, so it ain't like I know how they think - how y'all think.

So never mind, maybe.

Comments

[tucky]

You know a lot about kids?

[coppelganger]

Not... really. I've got a daughter, and I was in foster care as a kid. That's all.

[tucky]

Shit, foster care sucks. I was never in it, but I knew people.

[coppelganger]

Yeah. And how's this place any different, really?

[tucky]

Uh... people ain't in the for the government checks?

[coppelganger]

Right. Instead they're being made to do it for free.

[tucky]

Well, I don't think anybody has to.

[coppelganger]

Don't you think if you got assigned housing and some kid was your roommate you'd feel obligated?

[tucky]

I don't know, I haven't been given any roommates.

And I don't think they'd wanna put kids in with me, anyway.

[coppelganger]

Why not?

[tucky]

Well, it's like I said; I ain't really the kid type.

[coppelganger]

That's fair, I guess. I never was either 'til I had my daughter.

[tucky]

Really? Well, why'd you have a kid if you weren't a kid person?

[coppelganger]

Uh...

[ She hesitates, and it sounds like there are probably more details she isn't comfortable talking about. ]

Since I grew up without family, I guess I wanted somebody who was really part of me.

[tucky]

... That sounds real nice, actually.

[coppelganger]

Yeah?

[tucky]

Yeah. Having someone that's a part of you. That's gonna love you no matter what.

[coppelganger]

It was selfish of me. But I'd do it again.

[tucky]

... I could've had kids. I had the chance.

It might've been good that I didn't, though.

[coppelganger]

Why's that?

[tucky]

Could've ended up resenting 'em, I guess. I was talking about this with a guy last week. Kids know when they ain't wanted, and maybe I wouldn't've wanted 'em.

[coppelganger]

Yeah, they do know.

[tucky]

Right. And I don't, like... hate kids or anything. So I wouldn't want to make any feel bad.

[And that's not even touching the drug addiction issue, which had really been her main motivator at the time.]

[coppelganger]

That's a fair reason. I mean, you don't need to explain yourself to me.

[tucky]

Yeah, okay.

You must miss your kid, though.